Southeast Arizona

Southeast Arizona is a sparsely-populated, scenic region of the Sonoran desert with a number of historic sights and remote wilderness areas.

• 31.9711-110.317071 Benson – a historic rail town and convenient base.
• 31.42368-109.9112 Bisbee – an old mining town, now an artist colony.
• 31.35562-109.536873 Douglas – a border town with some early 20th-century architecture.
• 31.49338-110.266344 Sierra Vista – the region's largest town, with a historic military fort.
• 31.72247-110.077265 Tombstone – an iconic Wild West town most famous for the conflict between Wyatt Earp and the Clanton.
• 32.26943-109.78266 Willcox – a historic town and gateway to Chiricahua National Monument.

• 32.005-109.3441 Chiricahua National Monument – one of the National Park Service's more remote units, with a unique landscape of stone hoodoos.
• 31.8464-109.29132 Chiricahua Mountains – The area features excellent bird watching and wildlife viewing opportunities, as well as hiking, horseback riding, and camping.
• 31.883333-109.9833333 Dragoon Mountains – A range of mountains about 25 mi (40 km) long, running on an axis extending south-south east through Willcox. They offer excellent hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, and camping opportunities.

Travelers speeding by on I-10 between western New Mexico and Tucson could be forgiven for assuming there's not much to see in this remote corner of Arizona. The only real clue is the Texas Canyon rest stop on I-10; there's little else to suggest that there's more here than tumbleweeds and rocks. Leave the interstate, however, and soon you find yourself in storied cowboy and Indian country: the land of Wyatt Earp and the Clanton brothers, and of Geronimo's last stand. There's much more than that here, though, as the oldest documented evidence of human inhabitants anywhere on North America is in this region. To really experience all of this the traveler should leave the highway, and, ideally, the pavement.

Culturally there is a long history of human activity here, beginning with the Clovis culture approximately 9000 BCE, and continuing through the pre-Columbian and early Spanish periods. Besides scattered petroglyphs and pictographs and adobe ruins, however, there's little from this early history for the traveler to easily appreciate. In contrast, the region's more recent Apache, Mexican, and American history is inescapable. With the exception of the Chiricahua Apaches, who were sadly forcibly removed in the 19th century, the influence of this cultural melange continues to the present day.

Geographically the region is characterized by basin and range topography punctuated by Madrean Sky Islands, a landscape which is unique to southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northern Sonora, Mexico. The desert valleys are hot and arid, while the mountain ranges are covered by cool pine and oak forests, with corresponding cooler temperatures.

• Richard Shelton, Going Back to Bisbee. In this engaging memoir and travelogue, the Tucson-based poet describes a day trip taken from Tucson to Bisbee while recounting his earlier experiences in the region, beginning with his posting as a soldier in Fort Huachuca in 1956. Interspersed are numerous and entertaining observations of the ecology and regional history.

English is the primary language spoken here, although Spanish is widely understood and spoken, particularly along the Mexican border.

Tucson International Airport (TUS ^IATA) is the closest airport with commercial service. There is a shuttle service available to Sierra Vista.

Benson is the only city with an Amtrak station at 105 E 4th St. It is served by two routes: the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle.

Interstate 10 (I-10) is the main thoroughfare, with access from the northwest from Tucson and from the east from New Mexico.

A car is essential as there is no public transportation. To access some of the more remote off-road areas, a four-wheel drive is recommended.

• Amerind Foundation, in Dragoon, is a private museum dedicated to the preservation of Native American cultures and histories, with special events and educational programs.
• Fort Bowie National Historic Site, southeast of Willcox, is a ruined army fort which played a pivotal role in the Apache Wars of the 19th century, and abandoned in 1894.
• Fairbank Historic Townsite, near Tombstone, is a ghost town which once functioned as transit point for Tombstone, with an even wilder reputation. A number of buildings remain, with the former schoolhouse now functioning as a gift shop. The old nearby cemetery is also worth a visit, and can be found along a foot trail heading north of the town.
• Slaughter Ranch Museum, east of Douglas, was once the home of gunfighter and Civil War veteran John Slaughter. The buildings have been restored and declared a National Historic Landmark.
• Murray Springs Clovis Site east of Sierra Vista, is one of the oldest archeological sites in North America, used by nomadic hunters 12,000-13,000 years ago to pursue large game, including woolly mammoth.
• Charleston & Millville Historic Townsite, near Tombstone, has the remains of two ghost towns, both of which were founded in 1879 and completely abandoned by 1889.
• Camp Naco, west of Bisbee, is the only remaining fort on the US-Mexico border, built in 1917 to protect the US border from sustained fighting during the Mexican Revolution. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and some buildings have been partially restored.
• Presidio Santa Cruz de Terranate, near Tombstone, is the most intact remains in the US of a Spanish colonial fortress. It was built in 1776 and abandoned just four years later due to persistent Apache attacks.
• Geronimo Surrender Monument, south of the Chircahua Wilderness Area, commemorates Geronimo's final surrender to General Nelson Miles in 1886.
• Texas Canyon is a pass between the Dragoon Mountains in the south and the Little Dragoon Mountains in the north.

The Ghost Town Trail travels to four ghost towns in the Dragoon Mountains: Gleeson, Courtland, and Pearce.

• Coronado National Memorial, south of Sierra Vista, commemorates the expedition by conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, and has several scenic hiking trails. Coronado Peak offers great views into Mexico.
• 35.8241-111.8691 Hiking the Arizona Trail. A 817-mile long National Scenic Trail that traverses the entire state of Arizona south to north. The trail begins at Montezuma Pass (Coronado National Memorial) and follows the Crest Trail of the Huachuca Mountains, before continuing on through the Santa Rita and Rincon Mountains near Tucson. Good detailed trail maps and descriptions can be found at HikeArizona.com [1] [2].  

• Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area, north of Douglas, is an outstanding bird-watching site where 20,000 sandhill cranes winter each year, along with other numerous avian species and wildlife.
• Southwest Research Station in the Chiricahua Mountains is excellent for bird watching as well as wildlife viewing, with a number of very rare avian species sighted here. This facility is operated by the American Museum of Natural History, and offers bird watching tours, and accommodation for naturalists and hikers.

As this is ranching country steakhouses are easy to find, and much food is heavily influenced by Sonoran cuisine. Mexican food is widely available.

Aside from in the population centers, restaurants in this sparsely-populated region are few and far between. For provisions, the towns of Sierra Vista, Bisbee, Willcox, Benson, and Douglas all have good-sized grocery stores, with Sierra Vista having the best selection.

As with any outdoor activity in the desert southwest, the standard precautions should be taken here, especially in more remote areas.

• Water. Always take more water than you think you will need, even if going for a short stroll. In the arid climate you can lose a lot more water in perspiration than you realize, until it's too late. 
• Heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion can occur very quickly. Symptoms can include dizziness, rapid breathing, heavy sweating, and muscle spasms. 
• Buddy system. In remote areas it's always a good idea to have a companion with you. 

• Rattlesnakes. If you don't bother them they won't bother you. Rattlesnakes hibernate during the winter months, and are active from spring to fall. The main risk is stepping on them; never place your feet or hands where you haven't looked first. Wear boots or sturdy shoes, not sandals. If you are bitten, seek medical attention immediately. 
• Mountain lions (pumas/cougars). In the extremely unlikely event that you should encounter one, it is best to make yourself look as large as possible, so that you don't look like prey (wave your arms, fan your jacket, etc.) Throw things if possible. Do not play dead! 
• Javelinas (peccaries). These pig-like mammals travel in herds, and while they generally avoid people, they are very near-sighted and protective of their young, and will attack if they feel at all threatened. Make as much noise as possible so that they are not surprised and panic. 
• Bears. Black bears are found in a few mountain ranges, notably in the Huachucas (near Sierra Vista) and in the Chiricahuas. When camping, secure your food away from your campsite; when hiking, make plenty of noise. 

Southeast Arizona is a corridor for traffickers, although in the 2010s, the problem has abated somewhat as smuggling routes have shifted to the east and west. Still, it may be inadvisable to camp in some areas as smugglers travel most often at night; day hiking however in the same areas may be safe. Inquire locally about current conditions, or contact the nearest Border Patrol office (☏ +1 800-232-5378) for guidelines.

The Border Patrol maintains two checkpoints monitoring all north-bound traffic heading toward Interstate 10: the 31.74951-110.34961 Highway 90 checkpoint north of Huachuca City, and the 31.749298-110.0977992 Highway 80 checkpoint north of Tombstone. Drivers passing through should lower their windows; agents may ask limited questions regarding residency or immigration status of any driver or passenger, although frequently they will simply wave cars through. You do have the right to refuse to answer such questions, but this could result in detention while your immigration status is verified.

Tucson is within an hour's drive, as is neighboring southwest New Mexico. Visit Mexico for the day (via Douglas or Nogales), or visit nearby Tumacácori Mission and Tubac in South Central Arizona. Or head north towards the Mogollon Rim for more green and cooler temperatures (with snow in the winter).